Tributes have been paid to a much-loved former footballer who died aged 89 after spending six decades in Devizes.

Peter Arthur Fuller, who was born in London, came to Wiltshire after completing two years of national service in the RAF when he moved to Great Cheverell to live with relatives.

But he relocated to Devizes, after marrying his wife Barbara in 1961, where he worked as a milkman for Hamptons Dairy, prior to spending 25 years as an employee at the iconic Wadworth brewery.

There he quickly embedded himself in the town and became well known as a local footballer and prolific goalscorer for West Lavington, before running the local football pools for Littlewoods.

His daughter, Julie Padgett, has fond memories of her father as someone who was much loved in the town and was well known in several roles.

She said: “He was the Littlewoods football pools man, worked in the cinema at weekends, he was a milkman and used to go in a lot of the pubs playing skittles and he was at Wadworths.

“A lot of people knew him and a lot of the lads my age growing up knew him as well because they worked at Wadworths too.

“He did 25 years there as a driver’s mate and even came back to help them out after he retired.

“A lot of people really loved him, and people had respect for him because he was seen going round town a lot, pushing his walker round, and still doing the shopping.”

Mrs Padgett revealed that her father was fond of Devizes and was happy to remain there throughout much of his life rather than going back to his birthplace in London.

But while his home was Wiltshire, his wife Barbara says his football allegiances lay elsewhere.

In a tribute to her husband she said: “During the war he was evacuated to Manchester where he became a supporter of Manchester United to add to his childhood support for Tottenham Hotspur.

“The clubs have now lost one of their most longstanding and avid supporters.”

As well as being a footballer, Mr Fuller was a keen skittles player who was made captain of the Ramblers skittle team.

Mr Fuller died on February 26 at Great Western Hospital aged 89.

His celebration of life was at the Wyvern Club in Devizes on March 31 where people were encouraged to wear football shirts and donate to either Julia’s House or WaterAid.